Lori Ann Gibson's Blog (20)

Even though the challenges were somewhat challenging, this was a great learning experience. I do look forward to helping my students achieve success in the future by exposing them to some of things that I have learned this semester.

In my personal learning pathway for global collaboration I have access to twitter, personal learning network, two blog spots, skype, voice thread, wikis, RSS feed, and social media. Through this study, which could be sometimes difficult at times, I have…

Online course delivery is a practical, convenient, and affordable way to deliver Professional Development (PD) opportunities. This PD method also offers flexible time to finish course and no classroom attendance. Teacher can start anywhere, at anytime, and from anyplace. They may also learn independently and at their own pace. Some courses offer expert authors and world renowned authorities on teaching and learning. Collaboration…

I have just finished working with the most wonderful people! They are all pitched in and worked together to get this project off the ground and up and running. Simply fantastic-hope to work with them all in the future! Thanks to all of you!

At the beginning of this project one of the main questions that I had was what kind of project do we want to design and implement. I also wanted to know what I needed to do in order to contribute or be a resource for the project. Another…

Kaizen refers to improvement of both processes and people. For schools, the philosophy of Kaizen aims at improving all aspects for all time. Thus, is it is never good enough and never ending. Kaizen seeks ongoing improvement and change for the better. Schools and teachers should think about how to do it, not why it cannot be accomplished. In implementing Kaizen, schools will have to question current beliefs and practices, and draw upon the knowledge of many not just one. Administrators,…

Absolutely, love this! Prezi! What will the kids think? They will dig in and enjoy it, I am sure! This is so much more than a powerpoint presentation. It can also get so complicated and detailed. Only your mind limits you with this tool. I used to it to present my celebration to a couple staff members. With all I shared, I had a "can you do a workshop?" Not so sure that I am ready to teach someone else how to use these wonderful tools we have learned about and with this semester. BUT,…

A personal brand gives others the idea of who you are, what you stand for, and what you have to offer. It also coveys what you value and what makes you creative or different from others. When you have a personal brand, it influences how others perceive you by letting them know who you are different, superior, and authentic. Your personal brand lets others know what to expect in dealing or working with you.

Okay, so I aligned my project with standards. Actually, I started with the end in mind-some of the UDL methods that I had learned in a previous class. I worked with four of my students to help plan this project and it will become a part of our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Day. We have had to get this approved by our principal and he will bring in a router to insure that we have enough power to run these extra devices from my classroom. I am very excited and so are the children. They will be…

Book Recommendations Please choose 2 books that you have recently read to recommend to your fellow classmates. Include the Title of the Book, Author, Call #, number of pages, AR Level, AR Points and your name. You should also copy and paste a picture of the book. Write a Summary of the book and why your are recommending it. Discuss illustrations which represent a significant scene or idea from the book reading. Point out interesting or important…

Giving students choices promote feelings of control, purpose, and competence and are more motivating than choices that do not. The students are interested in learning the knowledge and skills that are being offered. Student have power, freedom, and fun. Choices allow students to develop and find success in the real world, as they have practice how to make intelligent decisions. Students need teachers to value them as individuals who are capable this will make them more likely to complete…

I would think that the best assessments for technology would be the outcome of their task or project. Wow! I looked at Prezi, how awesome! Much more than just a PowerPoint presentation. As educators, we sometimes to think that the digital natives know everything already. We do have to really teach them how to use the technology. They are savvy when it comes to click and find, but not as much when it comes to saving, editing, and linking. I have a fifth grade class, they can make a…

Differences between cooperation and collaboration? Cooperative and collaborative learning have been used in the educational arena interchangeably and with one another for quite some time. Yet, they are very different very different from one another when we begin to dig and research. I found that cooperative learning, which is something I do regularly in my own classroom, is most often accomplished in a small group setting. In this type of teaching arrangement, children work together on the…

The three R’s of global collaboration are receive, read, and respond. When we are working in a collaborative environment we should make sure that we are able to receive the information that should. We should check to make sure that the sender’s email is not sent to a spam folder. In whitelisting, we give senders the privilege of sending us important information regarding projects. We may also want to communicate with those who set up our email delivery systems to let them know of specific…

Reverse mentoring is where the younger generation mentors the older generation. In the area of technology this can be invaluable for those who were born before the 1982. Millennials are born after 1982 and they have grown up with technology. They are digital natives who have grown up with internet service and technology in their daily lives. They tend to be multi-taskers, who are tech savvy and competent. Knowing that the younger generation possess valuable skills and information, and many…

Digital Awareness could be defined as the appropriate and responsible behaviors that are used online or when using technology.

Students need to understand that digital citizenship will encompasses the human, cultural, and societal issues that relate to technology. Therefore, they must keep a positive attitude and open mind towards collaborating and learning with peoples from differing backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. They must be cognizant, sensitive, and…

Okay, so I now have a wikispace. I have set up some students and a project. I am confused though over the response of some parents and school administrators when you ask how they feel about these types of technologies. Privacy of students is a huge obstacle and we should never compromise that. I also feel that we are scared of things that we do not understand. Because we do not know how technology works and what types of information about our students can become public, we are hesitant to…

I chose to use Skype and Voicethread as my two tools for this challenge (and believe me it was a challenge). Not having experience with these technologies made me somewhat nervous but I found they were easy to set up and use. With Skype, I can access it through my facebook account. I have had some of my relatives who live out of state wanting me to get a skype account for many years new, so a new way to connect with them is going to be fun! Here are the links so you can check them out for…

Okay, we love our smartphones and almost everyone of my students have one. So, how could I utilize the use of a smartphone in my classroom? Poll Everywhere would be a great tool to use. A teacher can quiz up to 40 students for free. Students register their phone numbers with the teacher and the teacher can track responses for quizes or reviews. Unlike, clickers and other polling devices, this is easily accessed by students and I can monitor their responses just as easily. You can…

I chose to look at the Life 'Round Here project because it was within the age group that I teach and it was a writing and publishing activity. The website seems very friendly and the constraints of the activity something that I could work into my classroom curricula very easily. Life 'Round here also seemed to be something the children would enjoy as they would not only read the stories from children from other cultures and look for similarities and differences but the stories were to be…

Off to another semester at UNA! Last one not so great as I dealt with some personal tragedy, but this time I am looking forward to a wonderful one! I am a little overwhlemed with this technology course, but I have to realize it is a process. Makes me a little uneasy. My students know way more than I do which I find quite entertaining at times. since I go my degree much late in life than most. I bought two iPads for my classroom in December, my students had them up and running in no…

"In the elementary school that I work in, we are VERY limited to the availability of technology. Our 185 students have to share around 80 laptops and chromebooks. And when we do get to use them, it is for a short period of time."